The Courtyard of Good and Evil

I miss New Orleans.  I live in Florida now and I love it. It is a much, much better place for me to be, but I miss New Orleans and Louisiana. 

D'Or Patisserie on Ursulines

When I was young, we took spontaneous trips to the French Quarter early in the morning (which meant only me and my dad). Joggers were still running down Ursulines and the parrots in the palm trees were just starting to have their morning conversations.  When I was older I went and celebrated Mardi Gras, juggled for kids at Zoo to Do, and attended a college I never thought I would get to attend.  There are so many rituals and traditions thriving in New Orleans that imbibe your spirit with zeal for living.




Saint Peter and Paul Church in Marigny

 




I have learned though, that sometimes it is better to bring these things to the world, rather than wait for them to come to you.  There are no large cathedrals from the 1700 hundreds here. There are no latin masses to go to on Sunday within an hours drive.  There are no Grandmothers and their friends who talk about people in Cajun French in front of you and laugh during afternoon coffee.  There are no T-boo's or Parrain's or Awn-tee's being talked about cause they almost won da' scratch off. 



Grandma descended
from the Acadians
who moved from Canada



There are no sad looking young people on the street with hopes for nothing written on their worn faces.  There are no Black men standing on the street corner surrounded by Black people who are prejudiced against their own race.  There are no poor families living in a dynasty of poverty and existing like it is a reparation to get welfare.  At least I haven't seen these sights that were burned in my retina from a young age and having walked the streets of New Orleans and other places in the deep South of Louisiana.

I miss New Orleans. I breath the air here, but my heart thumps, and stomps and beats to the rythym of a parade down Decatur and the laughter and joy of the souls in Nola.